Kamen Rider Angelus
by Wocaine
Summary: In the city of Mithra, martial law is governed by Kamen Riders. Slumdogs fight for a right to be treated as people. Two lovers struggle for their future and a place in this brutal society. Can happiness ever be attained with bloodstained hands?


**Chapter One: Apprehension**

_Mithra, the city of humanity's final hope. It has been nearly a thousand years since the fall of Man and the rise of the Asura. Here, behind the barrier, we are imprisoned while safe from the Asura. Nothing remains of the outside world, they say. We are safe here; inside the womb, mankind's last stronghold._

Heavy footsteps upon the pavement echoed, bouncing off of the rundown buildings, as they ran through the parking lot, rifles in hand. The rain was abundant and rolled down their clothing as it fell from the gray, yet shimmering, sky. It was the will of the Devas for it to rain today. The Devas, the people who rule over Mithra. The members of the high council that govern the weather, life, and even death when necessary. From the beginning, The Order of the Devas have done their best to retain some semblance of the old world.

Lilith's knowledge of The Order, much like any other resident of Mithra, was limited. All this young woman knew was the art of survival. For over ten years, she has given her servitude to Varuna: the faction of law enforcement. Many slumdogs of Mithra served under Varuna with the hopes to attain citizenship and be acknowledged as human beings. Sadly, many have failed, a great deal perishing along the way. Since the age of seventeen, she has seen many comrades fall. Countless soldiers, disposed of like trash as they lacked the citizenship to be treated like people. Her dream, no matter what, was to become a citizen, to live a life better than what she has known.

Yet, life was not devoid of all hope. She had him, Adam, the love of her life. Together they strove to attain citizenship and become married before the eyes of The Order. Only married citizens could enter the raffle for a child. The key to their dream of building a family was through the violence and bloodshed of Varuna. The ends justified the means.

The group of twelve split up, taking opposite stairways, advancing upon the elevated walkway of the abandoned motel in a pincer formation. Systematically, they moved along the walkway and kicked the doors in. Lilith could see the uneasy shift of her lover's countenance with each empty room they broke in to. Adam, so stoic and loyal to his cause. Through all adversity, he remained faithful to The Order. He never gave up on believing in the Devas. The auburn haired woman leaned her back against the wall, her green eyes locking into the steel blue gaze that the blonde haired Adam met her with. Lilith, tall and willowy, still looked small when she stood beside the burly visage of her man. The rest of them converged on each side of the only remaining door.

"This is the last room," he whispered, aiming his voice to the entire group. Even when his voice was silent, it still carried power and authority. He unzipped his black jacket, revealing a strange belt upon his waist, the belt that he wore had a red gem in the center. "We need to be ready, we don't know what we're up against here. The information could be cold already, it's possible that they've moved. Even so, we'll not take any chances ."

"Agreed," replied Lilith, unzipping her jacket to reveal a belt of the same nature. The rest followed suit, unzipping their jackets after setting down their weapons, they all wore the same belts.

In unison, they crossed their arms in front of their chests. Slowly, they lowered their open hands to the glowing gems of their belts. In a sudden, violent, movement, they all spanned their arms out and cried one word in unison, "Henshin!"

Black leather crept over their bodies in a brilliant flash of violet light. One by one, round helmets with two antennae materialized over their heads. To signify the conclusion of their metamorphosis, the glassy pairs of large, insect-like, eyes flashed crimson. They were now prepared for battle, should it await them from behind the door. Lightning crashed overhead as the thunder boomed like a war drum.

After pausing to pick up their guns, Adam and Lilith stood back as two of their comrades offered to lead the group into the room. Often a suicide mission, sadly. Upon kicking the door in, they were met with heavy gunfire from automatic weapons. The gems upon their belts were shattered as they reverted, their bodies collapsing and riddled with bullets. Blood pooled upon the floor as more bullets tore through the air.

"Shit," hissed Lilith, watching them die. More wasted lives.

"Now!" cried Adam, taking advantage of the pause in gunfire. They were reloading...amateurs.

The brawny rider dashed into the motel room, drawing the hilt of his beam saber from his belt. As he activated the weapon, he jumped down and slid across the floor. A trail of bullets followed him, avoiding him by a hair each time. With the sword in his left hand, he slashed through the knees of one of the gunmen. The legs were sliced off cleanly by the crimson blade and the man fell to the floor, screaming in agony. Behind the visor, Adam frowned at the bloodshed and brutal tactics he was often forced to employ. As an act of mercy, he drove the beam saber through his opponents heart in order to finish him off once he rose to his feet.

Lilith and the others stormed the room, engaging the other gunmen in hand to hand combat. It was sad for a great deal of them. In a way, they were slaying their own. Slumdogs, people without names. The dregs of Mithra that no one cared for. To tangle with, and kill, these faceless men and women in tattered rags, it was commonplace though never easy. The room was a flurry of flying fists, kicks, gunshots, slashes, and blood splattering upon the walls and furniture. It was turning into a complete massacre. Riders and slumdogs alike, they fell, they bled the same. Lilith scanned the room when all was silent. Her heart raced inside of her chest, that never lessened with her missions. The gunmen were dead on the floor, all nine of them. They had also suffered casualties on their side, only five Riders, including herself and Adam, remained. Even though she was whole heartedly against it, the fallen were to be left behind like discarded carrion. The woman's heart sank inside of her as she took in the sight of all the corpses that littered the room. She gasped sharply when a hand fell upon her shoulder and she turned around to instinctively throw a punch in the direction of what startled her. It was Adam, his hand gripped her fist. He smirked, though she could not see his face, lowering their hands.

"Easy," he cooed, trying to soothe her. "I know it's hard for you, but you're far too emotional for your own good. Pausing to see the damages will only destroy you."

The screams of an infant broke the still and Adam's lecture, it was coming from the bathroom.

"No," Liltih sobbed, realizing why they were sent here. They were here to apprehend the unlicensed infant. It was now property of The Order and the parents, as a result, were to be executed immediately. The father and his friends were hiding out here, alarmed and scrambling when the doors were being kicked in and coming closer from both sides. They were fighting desperately, protecting the mother and child hidden away in the washroom.

"I hate these missions," muttered Adam, shaking his head. It was rare that babies were born in Mithra. For hundreds of years, humans were created artificially by Shiva: born from mechanical wombs and awarded to licensed citizens. The anomalies were considered evil. Hence, unlicensed and natural births were punishable by death.

The other Riders stood back, clearing the way for Adam who kicked in the bathroom door. The young woman screamed, clutching the newborn baby with the utmost desperation. Her greasy black locks fell over the delicate child as tears streamed down her face. She was sobbing uncontrollably, hyperventilating.

"Give the child to me," Adam boomed, extending his hands to the baby. "No harm will come to him, only you for the possession of an illegal child. You know the laws, woman."

"No," she whimpered, shaking her head in a jerking motion. The baby was still screaming. "NO!"

"So be it," hissed Adam, stepping forward and snatching the baby in a swift, fluid, movement. The young mother howled in despair.

"Damn you!" she screamed, writhing on the floor as she sobbed. To watch her child be torn away from her, it was unbearable.

Adam walked out of the washroom, gently cradling the infant. He sighed, looking at Lilith and the other three Riders. Today was not a good day at all. He reflected on that fact as he gazed upon the blood, corpses, and bullet holes throughout the hotel room. "Somebody take care of her, I've done enough today."

In the bathroom, the mother of the child reached desperately for the hunting knife that her lover left behind for her to defend herself. Even if it killed her, she'd have her revenge on the man that snatched her baby. She would kill as many as she could before they had a chance to execute her. This final act would be her magnum opus. With the blade in hand, she rose to her feet and glared at the back of the Rider walking away from her. The mother sprinted, drawing the glistening blade back as she ran at Adam with full speed.

"Adam!" cried Lilith, her heart thundered in her chest while true thunder accompanied the lightning outside. She ran between Adam and the crazed woman, her left foot charging with crimson energy.

Time slowed for Lilith and the young mother though it all transpired in a split second. The glowing red foot raised quickly in a graceless front kick and slammed into the other woman's chest. Lilith could hear the ribs shatter as blood frothed from her victim's mouth. The flash of red light engulfed the room and the mother was thrown back into the bathroom, smashing into the far wall. She slumped to the floor, revealing new cracks and smears of blood down the beige wall. Her vacant eyes stared into oblivion, she was now dead.

Lilith stood there in stunned silence as her foot lowered, her chest heaving up and down. That poor woman, she reacted and smashed the life out her like she was some kind of paper doll. Her system powered down and she reverted. She zipped up her latex jacket and nervously wiped her hands upon her black pants of the same substance. These uniforms, they were so brutal for the work they had to do. With her emerald gaze still on the dead mother, she wiped the sweat from her brow. In fact, she was drenched in it.

"Lily," Adam sighed, out of his Rider garb as well. They all were now. He was still holding the screaming infant. "You did well, thank you for saving my life," he added, handing her the baby. "Please make him stop. I'm no good with babies."

She smiled mirthlessly at him, taking the child. The baby looked so tiny up against his large forearms. One day, they'd have one for themselves if the Devas allowed it.

"Silly," she replied, taking the child and cuddling it. Lilith turned her head, flipping the red ponytail behind her right shoulder. "A lot of scary noises upset him, he won't come down from this panic for a good while. I'll take him outside and see if I can calm him down."

Adam looked around, noticing a piece of fabric on the floor that wasn't stained with blood. "Here, wrap him up and keep him warm then."

"Yeah," she sighed, covering the infant as she advanced to the door. A child to be raised by The Order, destined to become a soldier like them. What a cruel fate it was. A part of her wished they could have just let the family be. Yet, here she was in this hotel room: standing in the aftermath of the family she helped destroy.

Moments later, she was standing out at the parking lot as the abandoned motel burned. The rain had stopped a little while ago and she cradled the infant as it slept against her. Lilith was glad that Adam and the others at least disposed of the bodies by burning them. Being nameless citizens of Mithra, they weren't entitled to a funeral. This was the best any non-citizen would ever get. This kindness alone, that was what gave them any kind of solace for the massacre that had taken place today. How many more of these cruel missions would there be? Adam filed the paperwork months before. They had served Varuna for ten years now, they were entitled to apply for citizenship. When would they hear back? She couldn't keep doing this anymore.

Adam walked up behind her and clutched her hips, kissing the nape of her neck.

"Not now, Adam," she scoffed, swatting him away with her free hand. "You have the worst timing."

"I wasn't doing that!" he replied, putting his right hand over his chest, looking injured. "I have good news, I just got off of the phone with headquarters."

"Good news?" she replied, her eyelashes fluttering with the sudden interest in her voice.

"It seems that paperwork I filed a few months back went through today."

Lilith gasped, covering her mouth with her hand before lowering it, "And?"

He stepped in and kissed her before pulling back with a grand smile, "We're citizens now, Lily. We meet with the council at daybreak, tomorrow. We register and we can be married in the temple as soon as possible. Oh, Lily! We can register for the child raffle! We can start our family, finally!"

"Finally," she sighed, overjoyed as tears streamed down her face. "Oh, not a moment too soon," she whispered, turning to face the flames that consumed the old motel.

_I couldn't believe the news when I heard it. It all seemed so surreal, hard to believe. Yet, as I held the baby against me and let Adam hold me...I felt like everything was going to turn out the way we wanted. Our dreams were about to come true._

**End of Chapter One**


End file.
